Iluvbertie
Imperial Majesty
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2004
- Messages
- 14,460
- City
- Bathurst
- Country
- Australia
Well, what about HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, who was born the Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott? She was the wife of a Royal Duke (William of Gloucester), yet was addressed as Princess Alice throughout her very long life?
She was not officially Princess Alice until the Queen gave special permission after her husband died.
Until her husband's death officially she was HRH The Duchess of Gloucester.
If she was referred to as Princess Alice - before her husband's death - it was incorrect - just as it was always incorrect to refer to Diana as Princess Diana.
That means that on no official document, as opposed to the press, she would have been referred to as HRH The Duchess of Gloucester. She was however also The Princess Henry, Countess of Ulster and Baronnes Culloden.
When her husband died she didn't want to be known as HRH The Dowager Duchess of Gloucester but there was a new Duchess so that would have been her official designation. The Queen allowed her to be referred to as HRH Princess Alice - but not before 1972.
The problem with the press was that the Duke of Kent married Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark - a princess in her own right and so they would give Alice the same designation but they were wrong.